I should feel blessed for having a home office, or I should refer to it as workstation, although it is very simple and no where near beautiful or inspiring.

When we first bought the table, it seems to be enough for 2 person. But not anymore, our paperless home office suddenly have more paper, notes, books, short term health insurance NC quotes, etc. So, basically we need more space. Probably larger table with better design and color.

Here are two that I like:
- Top image, from here, I like the http text on wall and the light color of the wooden desk. Overall it looks very soft and clean, thanks to the white color of Mac also. No, I’m not gonna switch to Mac. But mostly PC stuffs is so fugly, ugh.
- Bottom image, from here, the table is so long, me like! Can put 3-in-1 printer. Also love how the table is nailed to the wall = legless table.

Hopefully I can fulfill my dream home office on next year

June is all about opening our mind and making decision to change. Sort of turning point.

In terms of personal life, my boy and I have been discussing and weighing a lot of life aspects. Decided to make the change as well, which will take place in about 3 months from now. We are super exciting! If you are thinking about baby, scratch that idea please. Hehe.. It’s something bigger than purchasing TV mounts.

In term of business, we are in the midst of re-design and re-align both simplyWP and Zhng Design Studio; from the strategy aspect and also the interface. Time to really apply what we’ve learnt during the advertising course!

Oh btw, I just had my first online interview. You can read my insightful and inspirational stories *cough cough* on my client’s site, Between Us Girls.

In the process, I became one of simplyWP.net’s most particular customers as well as great colleagues with my designer, though separated by thousands of miles. Yes the internet has spawned personal and work relationships, but I would have never thought I would be working with someone in Malaysia, yes Malaysia.

Sachkia is residing in UK Virgin Islands and I’m in Malaysia, yet we get to work together thanks to internet and email. This (read: work with people around the world) is also one of the thing that I like from my job. It offers so many possibilities for me.

Happy Wednesday!

I’ve been using this pinkie-violet theme for 14 months with last re-design on February 2009. It’s time for refreshment~! From design (my hair no longer fits the bob girl illustration on header) to about page (the info there is so outdated now).

This isn’t another simply-redesign-cause-I-am-bore-with-the-old-theme. I am pushing it to be more than just a personal blog. Yes, after using this space to rant for 4 years, I finally decide that it’s time to grow up and to integrate my expertise here. Talk about branding and changing the content’s direction; not into extenze topic but design.

Bottom line, it’s been a work-in-progress for us since last week. Brainstorming, mind-mapping, analyze and plan all over carefully, etc. It’s been a while since we really take a deep look into what we have now. We often go with the routine and forget to see the bigger picture.

Well well, the roller-coaster ride has began! Time to grow and push the business further before we start on something new.

Two weeks ago my boy’s good friend was in town for a work trip and the three of us had breakfast together. His friend asked casually,”So how’s the freelance life? Good and loving it so far? Is it what you really want to do?”

Well, I absolutely loving my job and the lifestyle NOW. I mean, yes I am lucky that I get to work on what I love to do, I can have more than 12 days leave in a year, I have reached the certain amount of income that I set two years ago, I get to spend IDR1.800.000 (RM600++) on my hair which is impossible if I still work as 9 – 5 designer and so on.

But his question did make me think of so-what’s-NEXT? Is this what I really want to do for long term? The answer is NO!

People often says how nice our lifestyle and job is, being our own Boss, yadayada. The truth is, we are no different from people who slaves in their 9 – 5 job. Probably worse. We are the employer (Boss) and employee (slave) at the same time. It’s not a big deal as we’re enjoying the hard-work moment for NOW – which means face the computer for up to 12 hours a day, look for clients, do the design, coding, managing time, managing finance, cover from the start to the end of the project all by ourselves.

Now come the worst part, we are offering service, so when we are sick or away for vacation, no one will be working in the office and the income will be paused until we’re back to work. Bottom line, no work, no income; unless we hire people to do the job but we ain’t ready to build an agency yet. The downside of active income and freelance. No fix monthly income from the Boss and no yearly bonus too. At this point, I’m amazed at how my boy and I managed to travel average 4 times in a year. Whew..

As for now I can afford to face the computer for more than 12 hours a day, at least 72 hours per week, but not in the coming 3 years or when we plan to have Wong junior.

I envision myself to be able to enjoy the motherhood and at the same time having own business line which requires very little time commitment, i.e. not more than 12 hours working-time per week.

Yes, I mean passive income, where I can earn money while sleeping cause the internet is a sleepless world – 24 hours ON! Transaction can happen anytime.

To make it happen, we definitely need to sell our own products instead of offering services for the rest of our life. It could be joint health supplements, beauty products, shoes, anything. We’re aware for the challenges and hard time that will come during the first year or so. We’re so ready for it! After all, what does life mean without challenges and failures?

Well, I’m glad that my boy’s friend threw up that question. It might sound like a casual how-are-you conversation, but it helps me to stop and think of “what’s next?” – an important question that is overshadowed by the boring routine.

Ouh yes! My boy and I finally went for one hour jogging (though for me it’s more like 30% jogging 70% walking) after talking about it for months. Just bought the sport shoes on last week. We scheduled to have it once in two days time; which is Mon – Wed – Fri – Sun – Tues – Thurs – Sat and the circle repeats. Hopefully we can keep to the schedule and not turning it to once a week.

I’m not a sport person so this is a day to remember for me. Hey, the last time I went for jogging was on 2004 with my then-housemates. I had an unfinished swimming lesson few years ago and that’s it.

I know we aren’t fat at all, but doing physical exercise isn’t limited for fat people only eh? We are aiming for a healthier life, to burn the tummy’s fat and hopefully can build the leg’s muscle. You know how we spend most of our time sitting in front of the computer. Almost no sweat unless when the weather is very hot. This jogging activity is just a starting point. We’ll probably went to gym in the future.